SECOND "AD LIMINA" SINCE 1948 BY ROMANIAN BISHOPS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 7, 1996 (VIS) - This morning Pope John Paul addressed the prelates of the Inter-ritual Conference of the Bishops of Romania, in Rome on their "ad limina" visit, and, speaking Romanian, said he recalled "with emotion" their 1991 encounter which had been the first in 43 years.

He pointed to the fact that they come from "communities of different rites" and said "each one in its own way, brings the riches of its long tradition and gives fruits for the good of all and to the service of communion."

The Pope then addressed the issue of vocations in Romania and noted "the negative effects that the absence of religious formation during the past years has had on the spiritual life of Christians and on vocations. But ... you rejoice in the new elan of your communities and in the increase in the numbers of youth who wish to consecrate their life to the Lord." He urged the bishops to have "a real discernment in vocations and to pursue the reorganization of seminaries."

Highlighting "the lack of personnel, of buildings to house seminarians, of libraries and work instruments," he said he realized that, since each diocese could not constitute its own seminary, the bishops often had to send young men abroad, particularly to Rome, to study.

He encouraged the Romanian prelates to pursue the "permanent formation of the clergy" and "the human and religious formation of the lay faithful." He particularly exhorted them to "put everything at work so that the pastoral dimension of (youth ministry) is largely taken into account, for it is the future of the Church and of society which is at stake."

The Holy Father then referred to "the moral questions which young people and Romanians in general face," such as "alcohol abuse, drug use and abortion." He emphasized the urgency of developing a family ministry and said: "It is important to offer children, adolescents and young adults reasons to believe and to hope."

The Pope touched on two issues faced by the Church in Romania with its "rediscovered liberty." The first, he said, is "the profound reorganization of the dioceses, diocesan services and parishes" for which economic assistance has been received but is still needed.

The second, he stated, concerns one of "the urgent problems," that is, "the obstacles encountered in the dialogue with authorities on the question of the restitution of goods which belonged to the Church before 1948 and which were unjustly taken." Referring to religious freedom, he declared: "It is up to leaders of nations to allow the faithful of different religious families to freely live their faith and to have the means for it, for persons need to develop the spiritual dimension of their daily existence and their family and social commitments."

Concluding, Pope John Paul encouraged the bishops in their ecumenical relations, "in particular with the Romanian Orthodox Church to which the majority of the population belongs."
AL/.../ROMANIA VIS 961209 (480)